What You Will Do
Reporting to the Office of Counterintelligence (OCI), the International Security Officer (ISO) is a member of the International Security Operations Program (ISOP) which provides leadership for Los Alamos National Laboratory's institutional capability to protect employees, contractors, program partners, and other Laboratory-affiliated personnel conducting official activities outside the United States.
The International Security Officer leads the mission of the International Security Operations Program and serves as the Laboratory's principal subject matter expert for international duty of care, travel risk management, diplomatic security coordination, protective security, global threat assessment, crisis management, and emergency response. The position is entrusted with safeguarding people, facilities, information, equipment, and mission-critical activities in foreign environments that may present elevated security, health, legal, political, diplomatic, or operational risks.
The International Security Officer establishes and administers a comprehensive, intelligence informed program covering the complete international travel lifecycle from initial planning and risk assessment through in-country monitoring, emergency response, post-travel debriefing, and continuous improvement. The position ensures that international activities are conducted safely, ethically, diplomatically, and effectively while protecting the Laboratory and Triad National Security, LLC from preventable injury, loss of life, operational disruption, legal liability, diplomatic consequences, and reputational harm.
The successful candidate will possess extensive global experience safeguarding people and facilities and a demonstrated record of leadership in diplomatic security, international protective operations, intelligence, military force protection, law enforcement, special operations, corporate security, or a comparably complex global security environment.
The role requires exceptional judgment, discretion, cultural awareness, political sensitivity, and the ability to operate effectively within diplomatic environments. The International Security Officer must be capable of engaging senior U.S. and foreign government officials, embassy and consular personnel, host-nation authorities, security services, law enforcement organizations, and multinational partners while respecting diplomatic protocols, national sovereignty, cultural norms, and established chains of authority.
What You Need
Minimum Job Requirements:
To succeed in this role you will need to have the following qualifications:
- Substantial professional experience in global security, diplomatic security, protective services, international risk management, law enforcement, military operations, intelligence, emergency management, or a closely related field.
- Demonstrated experience safeguarding personnel and facilities in multiple countries or regions.
- Experience operating in complex international environments, including locations with elevated security, political, criminal, or infrastructure risks.
- Demonstrated ability to conduct security risk assessments and convert findings into practical protective measures.
- Experience managing security incidents, crisis-response activities, emergency evacuations, or personnel-accountability operations.
- Experience advising executives or senior government, diplomatic, military, corporate, or organizational leaders.
- Strong understanding of physical security, travel security, protective operations, crisis management, and emergency preparedness.
- Ability to build trusted relationships with diplomatic missions, host-government officials, law enforcement agencies, security partners, vendors, and diverse internal stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare concise executive briefings and communicate calmly during emergencies.
- Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment when handling sensitive, confidential, or classified information.
- Ability and willingness to travel internationally, including remote or elevated-risk locations.
Education/Experience: Position requires a bachelor's degree and 12 years related experience; or, an equivalent combination of education and experience directly related to the occupation. At this level, post graduate course work may be desirable.
Desired Qualifications:
In addition to the minimum requirements, it would be a bonus if you had some of the qualifications below:
- Preferred degrees: security management, international relations, criminal justice, intelligence studies, emergency management, public administration, or a related field.
- Prior service or substantial professional experience with one or more of the following:
- U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service
- Central Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Secret Service
- Department of Defense
- Multinational corporate security or global risk-management organizations
- Professional experience with diplomatic security organization, embassy or consular security program, foreign affairs agency, international organization, military security unit, intelligence organization, or multinational corporate security program.
- Experience protecting diplomats, government officials, executives, international travelers, technical personnel, aid workers, or other individuals operating overseas.
- Experience coordinating responses to kidnapping, terrorism, armed conflict, political instability, detention, serious medical emergencies, deaths abroad, or emergency evacuations.
- Experience managing residential, embassy, consular, campus, industrial, laboratory, or critical-infrastructure security.
- Experience coordinating with the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service or comparable foreign diplomatic, law enforcement, or protective-security organizations.
- Experience with executive protection, protective intelligence, advance operations, secure transportation, or major-event security.
- Experience managing kidnappings, detentions, civil unrest, natural disasters, medical-security incidents, evacuations, or other complex international emergencies.
- Experience working in austere, conflict-affected, post-conflict, or politically sensitive environments.
- Knowledge of international duty-of-care principles and recognized security risk-management practices.
- Relevant professional certification, such as Certified 1811, Protection Professional, Physical Security Professional, Professional Certified Investigator, Certified Emergency Manager, or an equivalent credential.
- Experience protecting diplomats, senior government officials, executives, scientists, technical experts, international delegations, or personnel conducting sensitive missions.
- Experience managing security for international offices, diplomatic facilities, critical infrastructure, laboratories, research facilities, residences, or temporary overseas sites.
- Foreign-language proficiency and demonstrated cross-cultural competence.
- Clearance-We would prefer someone who has an active Q clearance and SCI access and/or the ability to obtain those clearances expeditiously upon hire.
Work Environment: The position may require frequent international travel, irregular working hours, and availability during emergencies. Assignments may include travel to remote, austere, or elevated-risk environments. The employee must be capable of operating effectively across cultures, time zones, and challenging conditions while maintaining professional judgment and strict confidentiality.
Work Location: The work location for this position is onsite and located in Los Alamos, NM. All work locations are at the discretion of management.
Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.
Note to Applicants:
Please attach a cover letter that addresses how you meet the requirements of this position.
Travel: This position requires the ability and willingness to travel up to 50% in support of organizational and mission requirements.
Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Where You Will Work
Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:
- PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
- Dental and vision insurance
- Free basic life and disability insurance
- Paid childbirth and parental leave
- Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
- Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
- Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
- Onsite gyms and wellness programs
- Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)
Additional Details
Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.
Clearance: Q/SCI (Position will be cleared to this level). Selected applicants will be subject to a background investigation conducted by or on behalf of the Federal Government, and must meet eligibility requirements* for access to classified matter. This position requires a Q clearance, and obtaining such clearance requires US Citizenship except in extremely rare circumstances. Dependent upon the position, additional authorization to access classified information may be required, which may or may not be available to dual citizens. Receipt of a Q clearance and additional access authorization ultimately is a decision of the Federal Government and not of Triad.
*Eligibility requirements: To obtain a clearance, an individual must be at least 18 years of age; U.S. citizenship is required except in very limited circumstances. See DOE Order 472.2 for additional information.
New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.
Regular position: Term status Laboratory employees applying for regular-status positions are converted to regular status.
Incentive Compensation Program: Position is eligible to participate in the Triad Incentive Compensation Program. You must be in an eligible position for a minimum of 3 months, before July 1st and remain in an eligible position as of the end of the fiscal year, September 30th. The annual distribution is prorated based on the number of months in the eligible position.
Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color,
national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to [email protected] or call (505)-664-6947.
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